Universal Antislip Claw for Footwear

ABSTRACT

Accidental falls are one of the principal causes of disability. The present invention relates generally to a device that may be fit in footwear to prevent injuries caused by slippery terrain. The device is provided with retractable spikes which penetrate the ice or slippery surface like a claw. The device also has an excenter system which allows adjustment of the spikes between two positions.

TECHNICAL FIELD

In the hierarchical scale of needs, after satisfying his primary needs, such as, above all, physiological needs (food, water, sex), man feels the need for security (*): that is to say, the necessity to be protected from illness, injury, and, more generally, from unexpected events which restrict his own physical integrity. (*) A. H. Marlow—Motivations and Personality—New York Harper & Rowe 1954

The dangers which threaten his personal safety, are often connected to slippery, uneven unexpected terrain, to be found at any latitude: in the mountains, on the plain, in the town or in the country.

Such dangers affect the entire civil population of the world, without distinction of age, sex and behavioural habits.

With reference to the World Healt Oranisation's—Report of 2001, on which we based our research, the causes of disability through falls in people aged (15 to 44) inclusive are in third place after Hiv/Aids and ischeamic cardiac disease (**). (**) Causes of Disability in age range 15-44 years: Hiv/Aids &, I, Ischaemic cardiac disease 3.0-Falls 1, 3. Font WHO Report 2001

The prevention of traumatic episodes resulting in falls because of lack of grip on terrain which has become slippery through rain, constant wetness, grass, unevenness, sloping ground and for other reasons, represents the first and most important accident-prevention function performed by the device we are going to illustrate.

“Universal Antislip Claw For Footwear” is a device created as a technical response to all the safety problems of a person walking on, slippery, steep or in some way, dangerous terrain,

Inserted into the heel of an ordinary shoe, at the time of manufacture, with an antislip function, it ensures maximum grip of the terrain and eliminates the risk of falls.

Bearing in mind that the traumatic effects from falls have particularly serious consequences for older people (social unproductivity; the costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation therapy; and other things), whose costs fall to the collectivity, as we have already outlined, we can guarantee that “Universal Antislip Claw for Footwear” plays an important social role.

BACKGROUND ART

While we have come across a variety of device designed to be mainly on heavy boots fo use in icy and snowy conditions, up till now we have not yet come across any universal accident-prevention systems which can be used reliably in all dangerous situations including asphalt pavements as well as risky terrain in the countryside and can be built into any type of footwear. We envisage “Claw” as a simple universal device, for immediate use, effective in solving problems of balance and risk of falls.

“Claw” is designed for occasional use like an umbrella, but without being a hinderance in the absence of rain, because it remains enclosed with the heel when not in use and does not affect the look or effectiveness of the shoe.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

“Universal Antislip Claw for Footwear” (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 5) is a universal device designed to be fitted in all types of shoes at the time of industrial manufacture and designed to provide safe conditions to people who have to walk on slippery terrain.

“Universal Antislip Claw for Footwear” is built into the heel or sole of a normal shoe, a sports shoe, made of any material, for example, leather, rubber, polyurethane, vinyl resin and others.

It is constructed out of stainless steel, protected from water infiltration, easy to use, requiring no maintenance and it can carry weights many times greater than that of an average person.

It can be activated easily by hand at any time, even by a child or an old person, without the help of any external device.

“Universal Antislip Claw for Footwear” is an invention which comprises the following structures and uses:

-   -   Vertical Piston with a circular groove (see FIG. 2 and FIG. 6)         forming the central mechanism forming and permitting all the         multiple mechanical functions illustrated as follows:     -   A)—it supports the “Serrated Horse-shoe shaped rod” or         alternatively the “Serrated transverse rod ”; (see FIG. 1 and         FIG. 5)     -   B)—its movements causes the release and retraction of the         serrated rod; (see FIGS. 2,4 and FIGS. 6,7)     -   C)—the special “Circular groove (see FIG. 2 and FIG. 6)         construction ensures smooth operation and the ability to         position “Claw” anywhere in the heel, without impeding the         optional operational angle of the rod on the terrain.

The release and retraction of the serrated bar is effected by the Piston driven by the manual rotation of projecting flaps (see FIG. 3) located on the outside of a simple key with an eccentric nose that turns in the circular grove. (see FIGS. 2,4 and FIGS. 6,7).

The serrated rod is available in two different versions with the following two different functions:

-   -   “Serrated Horse shoe shaped rod” (See FIG. 1) for use in the         heel of the shoe;     -   “Serrated transverse rod” (see FIG. 5) for use in the sole.

The use of the circular groove piston also allows “Claw” to be positioned anywhere in the sole, without affecting the optimal operational angle of the rod on the terrain.

The positions of the rods are interchangeable; however laboratory tests on the operation of “Claw” have demonstrated best results with the horseshoe shaped rod fitted in the heel and the transverse rod, in the sole.

The complete retraction of the serrated bar can be effected by carrying out the manual procedure in reverse, thus returning the shoe to normal use.

The special above mentioned “circular grove” construction of the piston, which enables “Claw” to be fitted anywhere in the heel without changing the rod's angle of grip on the terrain, (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 5), requires in certain positions—the length “L” of the key arm to be adjusted.

The key is adapted to operational requirements of “Claw” by employing:

-   -   O-ring washer which prevents water infiltration; (see FIG. 2)     -   Fixing check-pin; (see FIG. 2)     -   no extra device is required to effect its         activation/disactivation;

“Claw” does not hinder normal walking, because the person's weight is uniformally distributed over the whole surface of the person's heel, by means of the thickness of the rod.

The 5 mm, raising of the shoe heel is psychologically tolerable in conditions where there is risk of falls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The attached drawings include the full description and technical data required to demonstrate the construction and operation of the “Claw ”.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 the positions of the nosed key are drawn in dotted lines, illustrating all its different possible locations on the outside of the heel, depending on requirements.

The drawings are on a scale of 1:1

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The technical operational features of the device described above demonstrate that it is an invention suitable for universal use in any type of footwear and is therefore in a position to provide a concrete solution to the social problems of falls.

The invention will be implemented primarily through accident-prevention organisations relating to any field, but above all through those concerned with safety at work.

At the same time, the invention will be promoted and introduced to the general footwear industry, with particular reference to those who manufacture work shoe, hiking, boots, sport shoe and fashion shoes.

Promotional further initiatives will address Insurance Companies, providing them with conclusive laboratory test results which prove the reliable operation of “Claw”.

It would seem to us a priority requirement to make the use of “Claw” compulsory in situations involving high risk of falls, bearing in mind the above-mentioned implication which the resulting traumas have for the whole of society.

“Claw” aims to make a unique contribution to rectifying this problem. 

1. A retractable antislip device embedded in a sole of footwear, the device comprising a toothed bar housed in a corresponding groove formed in the sole and movable through the groove from a first position in which it is completely retracted in the sole to a second position in which it protrudes therefrom, and an actuator for moving the toothed bar from the first to the second position and vice versa, the actuator being manually operable by a user, the actuator comprising a shaft pivotally housed in the sole perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the toothed bar, the shaft having an outer end formed with the device for rotating the shaft around its axis such that rotation of the shaft in either direction corresponds to movement of the toothed bar from the first to the second position and vice versa, wherein the actuator further comprises a sliding member integrally projecting from the toothed bar, slidingly housed in a corresponding seat formed in the sole, movable within the seat in a direction substantially perpendicular to the lying plane of the sole, the shaft having an inner end with a pin extending eccentrically therefrom and slidably engaging with a perimetrical slot formed in the sliding member.
 2. The antislip device set forth in claim 1, wherein an arc-shaped toothed bar is provided in the heel portion of the sole and at least a linear toothed bar is provided at a front portion of the sole.
 3. The antislip device set forth in claim 1, wherein the shaft extends radially within the sole from the sliding member to an outer edge of the sole, at which the outer end of the shaft is accessible by the user for affecting its axial rotation.
 4. The antislip device set forth in claim 1, wherein the device for rotating the shaft comprises a diametrical rib or a diametrical notch formed at the outer end of the shaft. 